Paper cutter board illuminator



Nov. 12, 1968 L. A. FACTO PAPER CUTTER BOARD ILLUMINATOR Filed Nov. 12, 1965 Mum/r0? 100/5 4. F4 0 70 59 MfW w a I 1 W 84 r w 6 W wd a r l 7 L41 4 MW a United States Patent 3,410,994 PAPER CUTTER BOARD ILLUMINATOR Louis A. Facto, 3416 Woodland, Ames, Iowa 50010 Filed Nov. 12, 1965, Ser. No. 507,409 2 Claims. (Cl. 240-2) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a paper cutter illuminator apparatus wherein immediately below the entire cutting edge of the paper cutter, an illuminating unit is detachably mounted which has a translucent upper wall, the structure such that as the cutting wheel moves along the cutting edge it substantially bisects the upper wall longitudinally thereof as viewed in plan, with the upper wall extended laterally inwardly and outwardly of the line of contact of the cutting wheel with the edge, and wherein light rays are thrown between the cutting edge and the cutter for clearly illuminating, to the naked eye, for example, a line placed on the paper to be cut.

It has always been a problem for those using a cutting board of the paper cutting type, to align that which is to be cut with the cutting edge, such that the cut will be exactly where desired. This is particularly true where one is cutting along guide lines or other extremely thin lines, and where exact cutting is important.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and novel combination of a paper cutter and an illuminator therefor.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel device for illuminating the cutting edge of a paper cutter.

Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a new and novel illuminator and paper cutter combination wherein the illuminator is placed such as to illuminate, if desirable, the entire cutting edge, with such illumination throwing light rays between the cutting edge and the cutter, and with that which is to be out being placed between the illuminator and the eyes of the person operating the cutter.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a combined cutter board and illuminator wherein the illuminator is readily attached to the board without impairing the actual cutting capability thereof.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a new and novel cutter board and illuminator combination, with the illuminator extremely economical to manufacture, easily constructed and serviced, and very effective in use and operation.

These objects, and other features and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent upon reference to the following description when taken into consideration with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the combined cutting board and illuminator of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevational view as taken along the line 2--2 in FIG. 1, with certain parts broken away for clarity of invention;

FIG. 3 is another fragmentary view as taken along the line 3--3 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view as taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, the paper cutting apparatus of this invention is indicated generally at in FIG. 1 and includes a rectangular cutter board 11 having a Hat surface on which is formed on one edge a scale 12. Movable back and forth across the board 11 is a hold-down bar 13, and formed on the surface as illustrated are a plumality of crossed guide lines 14.

3,410,994 Patented Nov. 12, 1968 On an edge of the board 11 adjacent to the scale 12, an elongated cutting bar 16 (FIGS. 1 and 4) is secured with the outer cutting edge 17 thereof extended slightly beyond an edge 18 of a shelf 19. The latter has an inset formed therein for receiving the cutting bar 16 as best illustrated in FIG. 4. The bar 16 is secured to the board 11 by means of a plurality of cap screws 21 inserted through the bar 16, the board 11, and into a pair of members 22 and 23 provided therefor. As best shown in FIG. 2, one or more resilient supports 24 are secured to the bottom of the board 11 for spacing same upwardly from whatever surface the board is placed upon.

For coaction with the cutting bar 16, a roll bar cutting unit, indicated generally at 26, is provided. The unit 26 includes a pair of brackets 27 mounted on each end of the board 11 above the cutting bar 16, and usable to sup port a roll bar 28 extended therebetween. The roll bar 28 is spaced above the cutting bar 16 and extended longitudinally and parallel therewith.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, a serrated, gear-type base 29 is formed on the bottom of the roll bar 28, in mesh with which is an idler gear 32 rotatably supported internally of a slide housing 33, the latter slideably mounted on the roll bar 28 for movement longitudinally back and forth thereof, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2. Impetus is given to the slide housing 33 by a handle 34 (FIG. 1) extended outwardly therefrom.

In mesh with the idler gear 32 is .a drive gear 35 (FIG. 2) rotatably mounted internally of the housing 33, and having integral therewith a circular roller cutter 36. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, it is seen that the cutting edge of the roller cutter 36 is engageable with the cutting edge 17 of the cutting bar 16, and therefore adapted when coacting with said cutting edge 17 to out paper or the like laid upon the board 11 for that purpose.

The cutting edge 17 of the cutting edge bar 16 is illuminated from below by an illuminating unit indicated generally at 37. The unit 37 comprises a translucent housing including an upper wall 38, a lower wall 39, and a pair of laterally spaced side walls 41 and 42. The walls are joined together in a rectangular unit forming a hollow enclosure, and the housing formed thereby is supported directly below the cutting edge 17 of the bar 16 by a pair of end brackets43 and 44- and a center bracket 46. As best illustnated in FIG. 4, each end bracket comprises a unitary member which embraces all four walls, and which includes a portion 47 extended beneath the lower member 23 and upwardly behind same in a clamping, friction-type grip of the member 23. The walls 38, 39, 41, and 42 are formed of a white, translucent plastic, but could be formed of any other type of translucent material.

For the purpose of emitting light rays upwardly toward the cutting bar edge 17 and the roller cutter 36, a plurality of miniature, incandescent lamps 48 are mounted in longitudinally spaced relation inside the housing on an insulated bar 49. The lamps are electrically connected in series by a plurality of leaf-type contacts 51, and are shown as receiving their electrical energization via a cord 52 having an on-off switch 53 interposed therein, and with a conventional plug 54- at the end thereof for engagement with a wall socket. 'It is envisaged that the light source could be battery powered, if desirable, and could be of any conventional means of illumination.

When the lamps 48 are energized, light rays emitted therefrom are directed in all directions as best illustrated in FIG. 4. Importantly, as the upper wall 38 of the translucent housing is mounted directly beneath the cutting bar edge 17, and as noted particularly in FIG. 4, with the cutting edge 17 extended laterally outwardly and beyond the remainder of the board 11, such as the shelf edge 18, wherein the illuminating lamps 48 and the translucent upper wall 38 are extended laterally inwardly and outwardly of the cutting edge 17, and the roller cutter 36, as viewed from directly above; the light rays are emitted not only from directly below the cutting edge 17 and the roller cutter 36, but also upwardly in a direction toward the space 56 (FIG. 4) formed therebetween. Thus, the line of direction of the roller cutter 36 along the cutting edge 17 substantially bisects the upper wall 38 longitudinally thereof, as viewed in plan.

Therefore, when a piece of paper (not shown) or the like is placed upon the cutter board 11 to be cut, and when the line upon the paper, which is the guide line for cutting purposes, is aligned with the cutting bar edge 17, it can readily be seen that the guide line on the paper will be clearly and distinctly illuminated from both sides therebelow so as to stand out visually for the person whose eyes are above the board and paper, and who is performing the cutting operation.

Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been described and disclosed hereinbefore, it is to be remembered that various modifications and alternate constr uctions may be made thereto without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for cutting paper or the like comprising in combination:

a board with supports for spacing said board above a supporting surface, said board having a cutting edge formed along one side thereof, and having further a cutting device for coacting with said edge to cut that inserted therebetween;

means operable to emit light rays for illuminating said cutting edge;

bracket means attached to said illuminating means for securing same to said board directly beneath said cutting edge as viewed from directly above said cutting edge;

said cutting device including a reciprocating, rotatable Cutting wheel movable longitudinally of and directly over said illuminating means;

and further wherein said illuminating means includes a translucent upper wall, and wherein said cutting wheel moves along said cutting edge in a line of direction which substantially bisects said upper wall longitudinally thereof, as viewed in plan.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further wherein said upper wall extends laterally inwardly and outwardly of the line of contact of said cutting wheel with said cutting edge.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,267,055 5/1918 Cathcart 240-2 2,378,249 6/1945 Ruth 2402 XR 2,444,723 7/ 1948 Bowen 2402 XR 2,746,545 5/1956 Chamberlain 83-489 NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner. 

